Our partners offer national firm experience and expertise at local firm billing rates desirable to value-driven clients. Our managers are experts in their respective fields and our staff retention ranks well above industry averages. This allows our staff to develop close relationships with our clients over multiple years, which leads to more efficient engagements.

Accounting and Bookkeeping

With the fast-paced business world of today, keeping good accounting books and records is extremely important. The ability to make informed business decisions is driven by the quality and timeliness of available information. Many small business owners struggle with the balance between maintaining accurate accounting records and actually running their business. Let Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. be your solution. With our versatile staff, we have the ability to assist you on several levels. Whether you need us to perform your entire accounting function or just review your records on a quarterly basis, we can help. We provide the following services:

Internal Controller Functions

It is essential for any successful business to develop an effective system of financial reporting from within, whether the business is a small venture or a large organization. We realize that it is very difficult and costly for many companies to hire a full-time controller. Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. offers a full range of internal controller services to ensure that your management has the financial information it needs on a timely basis.

Our knowledgeable staff has the ability to help you develop the tools to better manage your business by providing the services of an interim controller at reasonable hourly rates. These services include:

Compilations, Reviews and Audits

Increased standards on regulatory compliance over the last few years have made it essential for many businesses to identify, manage and control risks. Today’s business environment demands much closer scrutiny and greater objectivity in the preparation of financial statements, particularly in the areas of reviews and audits.

It is more difficult than ever to obtain loans and financial capital, making it crucial for a business to present an accurate financial picture. Lenders want reliable financial statements from a reputable certified public accounting firm. That is why Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. maintains a specialized and qualified staff that is committed to providing the optimum level of service in assuring that information in your financial statements is reported completely and accurately, in conformance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (as required).

Whether your organization has financial reporting requirements due to a lending relationship or a regulatory requirement (the Department of Labor or the Michigan Attorney General, for example) our firm has an established history of providing quality assurance services to a wide variety of clients encompassing the for-profit, non-profit and benefit/retirement plan sectors.

For those clients who do not require the level of assurance supplied by a review or audit, we can prepare a compilation. We also have the distinct advantage of offering this basic financial service with a high degree of efficiency at lower hourly rates than comparable firms.

We currently provide, but are not limited to, the following services in this area:

Forecasts, Projections and Budgets

In times of economic uncertainty, it is just as important to provide a forward-looking perspective and properly plan for your company’s future as it is to accurately report historical data. The most successful businesses, both local and national, always have an efficient budgeting and forecasting system in place. We at Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. can provide you with consistent and effective ways to plan for your company’s future. The following are just some of the services we can provide in this area:

Accounting research and industry benchmarking

Analysis of opportunities for growth

Analysis of potential acquisitions or analysis and dispositions of segments

Creating a budget of expenses and sales forecasting

Establishing realistic and attainable financial goals

Assisting in strategic planning

Providing tax projections and strategies to minimize income taxes

Preparing forecasts or projections in support of bank financing or investment capital

Business Valuations

The importance of a comprehensive business valuation can not be overstated. There is a common myth that valuations should only be done when a business owner is ready to sell their business or when it is required by a lender. This is not true, as a business valuation can be a valuable management tool and is absolutely essential when conducting business succession planning and/or gifting. If you do not know what your business is worth, your ability to make informed decisions or conduct effective succession planning is severely hampered.

Whether you are looking to value an entire business or its individual components, Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. offers the expertise to provide business valuation services at an affordable cost. Our staff is trained in providing a multitude of valuation services as well as any litigation support services related thereto. Our valuation services include:

Litigation Support/Expert Witness

In an increasingly litigious society, you want the security and peace of mind of having your financial professionals represent you in the event of dispute. Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. provides counsel and support for our clients and their attorneys in a wide range of litigation support scenarios. We can assist you in all phases of litigation, including discovery, deposition, testimony and trial.

Our professionals frequently participate in legal cases and possess the depth and experience necessary to provide expert witness testimony. Members of our staff have testified in state and federal courts and are recognized as experts by these courts. Too often, accountants lack the ability to translate their findings into language that courts, juries or mediators understand. Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. personnel excel at communicating their findings in clear, concise laymen’s terms. In matters involving complex damages, our accounting professionals present well-supported financial records and other analyses on behalf of our clients. We help you clarify and understand important financial matters concerning your case.

Taxpayer Representation

Knowledgeable representation to federal, state and local tax authorities is crucial. Too many times taxpayers attempt to represent themselves or their businesses or organizations and end up causing more harm than good. If you, your business or your organization is selected for an audit or receives a notice from a taxing authority, do not panic. Contact Metzler Locricchio Serra & Company, P.C. and let us help you.

Cost Segregation Studies

If you own a building acquired in or after 1987 with a cost basis of $1,000,000 or more, you may be a good candidate for a cost segregation study. An effective cost segregation study analyzes the architectural and structural components of a building and separates them into components that can be depreciated using accelerated depreciation methods for income tax purposes. Without a cost segregation study, a building will be depreciated for tax purposes over 27.5 years (for residential real property) or 39 years (for non-residential real property). With a cost segregation study, some parts of a building may depreciate as quickly as five or seven years, resulting in more depreciation expense being available earlier for tax purposes on an annual basis. This can reduce taxable income substantially, especially early in the depreciable life of the building.

Whether you are purchasing or have purchased an existing building or are constructing a new building, we can assist you in taking advantage of cost segregation provisions to maximize your tax savings. We have the ability to approximate potential tax savings if you can provide us with some basic information about your building. The following types of buildings are ideal candidates for cost segregation studies:

R&D Tax Credit Studies

The research and development credit rewards companies for developing a new or improved process or promoting product innovation.

The gross research and development tax credit is a twenty percent (20%) credit on qualified research expenditures that exceed a base amount. Generally, the net tax benefit of the federal credit may be approximately six and half percent (6.5%) of qualified research expenses. State credits are usually less than federal credits, but can also be significant. Taxpayers may be able to amend prior year returns to claim missed credits and obtain tax refunds. Any unused credits can be carried forward twenty years.

To qualify for the credit, the research must be undertaken for discovering information that is technological in nature and its application must be intended for use in developing a new or improved business component of the taxpayer. In addition, substantially all of the activities of the research must be elements of a process of experimentation relating to a new or improved function, performance, reliability or quality.

If you are currently incurring research and development expenditures and would like to learn more about this credit please contact us.

Tax Planning and Compliance

Tax regulations can be overwhelming to the average individual or business owner. Failing to consider the tax implications of significant business transactions can be disastrous. Let us put our tax expertise to work for you so we can help you avoid the pitfalls of poor tax planning.

At Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. we work closely with our clients so they understand how their taxes are impacted by their actions. We believe in being advocates for our clients and providing effective, efficient and proactive tax planning to allow them to make timely, informed financial decisions.

We have a committed and talented team of tax professionals who stay current on the tax laws and how they affect our clients. Our tax planning, preparation and consulting services include:

Choice of entity analyses for initial business set-up

Federal, multi-state apportionment, local and international tax planning

Management Consulting

While it is important to have effective reporting and internal controls systems in place, the lifeblood of any organization’s sustainability is being able to manage existing business problems and to develop plans to improve operational performance. The assistance of qualified professional advisors can be critical in these areas.

Our staff at Metzler Locricchio Serra & Co. P.C. has specialized consulting knowledge that will help you address the most complex areas of managing your business. We always strive to develop a close and long-term relationship with our clients so we can continue to be your trusted resource for years to come.

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ABOUT US

Since 2011, Crain's Detroit Business has ranked Metzler Locricchio Serra & Company, P.C. as one of Detroit's Top Accounting Firms. Our partners offer national firm experience and expertise at local firm billing rates, desirable to value-driven clients.

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